BBoyle

I get that and it seems like that one is tuned very well to the load and how your grip worked, etc. That is part of the whole combo that goes into the build and tune of it. Slide weight, popple or no popple, chamber sizes and number of them, springs, trigger travel (take up and overtravel), etc. They all contribute to how it works in combo with you to give you an advantage over a stockish iron sight gun. The dot tracking is the most important part of shooting open (or CO/LO now). Not trying to argue at all here, a lot of people just get 1 sight picture and pull the trigger twice......in Open especially - sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Remember, some people can just about do the same with a limited gun with the vertical movement after the shot. Many years ago, a friend had a limcat (dragon comp I think-had jets that went to in front of the forward baffle wall) that you would see the dot dip down and then recoil upward (result of slide action??). He did pretty good with it and got a Master Card with that gun, I found the tracking a little different with it. The truth is you can learn how to shoot with the timing of the gun as set up, or set the gun up to how you prefer it to shoot. Christian, The para looks great and will not hold you back at all. I hope you find a load that works reliably and then learn the guns abilities and your own. Enjoy the journey and make it your own. My first Open Gun was a Para with a Commander length slide and a short 3 port EGW comp. In some respects that handled better than the SV that replaced it due to its balance and I think the lighter slide.

Been awhile since I have shot open but there is no such thing as a flat shot. You are looking for a predictable and repeatable dot tracking. The bullet is already out of the barrel and the comp already induced downforce, lateral stabilization (force) and also some forward pushing force as well before and as the barrel unlocks and the slide starts its movement rearward. The slide (mass) will get motion to the rear and then suddenly stop and then accelerate forward and then stop again (cushioned a little bit by stripping and chambering a new round). There will always be motion induced by the action of the slide. Playing with springs, shock buffs, etc. can tailor the preferred feeling to the shooter. Start by finding a load that is mechanically reliable (gun functions repeatedly) to the powerfactor you intend to compete in without pressure signs and then have at it. Try a slightly lighter or heavier spring and see how they feel and how the gun functions. Cant help on the 9 Major loads as mine is in 38 SC but 1.160 seems short for the 9 major in a Para or 2011 platform. Do not shoot open backed bullets (traditional FMJs) unless you want to constantly have to clean the lead out of the comp every couple of hundred rounds. I use 124 JHPs after learning the lesson the hard way.

We have all been there at one time or another!

While changing shell plates on a Square Deal I lost the ball bearing for indexing the shell plate. This was Thursday. Made a call to Dillon and spoke with a rep, offered to pay for the part and the shipping since I was the one that wasn't paying attention, and was politely told that they would take care of it and not to worry. Come Monday I have an early Christmas Gift that arrived in the mail! Got to love their customer service! Brian

I do not understand why you would be concerned with the class system with the amount of money that is laid out to attend a major. Just to say you were the top "b" "c" or "a" class shooter? Whatever you would get as a prize would come nowhere near what the cost of traveling and participating in a major. Most competitors are concerned with how they did against the big dogs, who they do not get many chances to shoot against, and just for the fun and excitement of shooting a major with people from all over the world.

I also have one on my build. Gun stays flat with my loads and standard varmint loads but goes down very slightly with xm193. Rounds stay close enough at 25 yards but are a spread a little at distance while shooting unsupported but still stay within my hand spread at 50. Hand placement makes a difference with the 193s. I am not running an adjustable gas block and have a stock single action trigger with the jp enhanced springs that improved the pull weight but not the creepy feel and long pull and reset. Overall I am happy with the comp and think it is one of the best looking comps out there. Brian

I have an Odin 18 inch 3gun barrel. It is very accurate with my vmax reloads(.65 for 5 rounds) and sub moa with my hornady 55 fmj. Xm193 shoots decent out of it but I get random fliers that open it up to 1.5-2 inches on average.

I believe the 3500 for end is longer. I know the stock tube on a 3500 holds 5 2.75 inch shells while I believe the 3000 only holds 4 with the plug removed.

Thats already been done, probably not like MOA would do it but i sanded it and took a dremel polishing wheel to it as well. I also ran 5 boxes for practice last tuesday. I had 1 fail to feed with the fed top gun. Put more oil on thebolt and ran the rest without issue. It seems like it is breaking in and getting better.

Shot it again today in my first 3 gun match and she was problem free. I was using win AA 1 &1/8 that says it goes 1300 fps. It kicks a little more than what i used previously. I was glad to have a problem free match with the shotgun, the pistol and rifle were another story.

I use to go there but it just made me horny!

My attempt at opening the loading port an a comparison of the size of it with a 2&3/4 inch shell. Brian

Never did put the recoil reducer in it and never tried with it in there. Next time I take it out of the safe I will try and take pics and figure out how to post them.

The loading port is nice on it. I opened it up a little and polished it and don't have any trouble dropping deuces or quads. Pm me your email and I will send pictures. I don't think I can post them.

Stoeger recommended continuing to break the gun on by firing it and he also said it is not just a dram thing but he also feels it is a velocity issue as well. I have shot 1 oz loads that were at or over 1300fps and they do seem to work very well. They would not send me a spring for a 3000 and recommended against it. I will definitely try it though or get a spare 3500 spring and cut it down a little and see if that works. 2 fails to feed with 3 boxes isn't that bad and if that is the worst that it is I would say I can live with it. I am just hoping to get her to be 100%. I have another match this Sunday and hope to get 100 or so more rounds through it before than. Brian

Other for Stoeger M3500

Tom I took your advice and rounded out the edges on the end of the main spring. I shot it in a 2 gun match today and had 2 failures to feed (round was on lifter) and only had to recharge it each time. Rounds were super X moving at 1255 with a 1 1/8th load. I did find some shaved plastic in the chamber area on the barrel extension (? Not sure what it is called) right after the first failure. I did a light wipedown and then re oiled it. Ran great for another stage or 2 and en on the last stage I had the same fail to feed. I am hoping it is still breaking in and it will eventually (hopefully soon) run 100% and be reliable. I was happy with myself and the gun when it came to slugs. Shots were only out about 35 or so yards and some were tight but the thing is a nail driver and put them all dead center of the full fiber bead. They were full power moving 1600+ and I do not remember feeling them that bad. They did sound different though. Hoping it will be a keeper soon! Tom I will still take one of those springs when you get them. Brian

Jim Where was there a mztch today? I had the whole day off. I would hve went too. Sorryabout the brain farts. That is one of the reasons why we have to be familiar with whatwe have. You were just reminded the hard way in a match. I will see you tomorrow, try and make the same mistake for me OK! Brian

I have a 2.8 and have to say I am really impressed! I am brand new to 3gun and was able to quad load 4 and then get the sight back up in well under 4 seconds par time (probably did it in 3 flat). That is with a few slow practices for the proper technique and then speeding it up without trying to go too fast. I also have a 6 up taccom set that I can use pretty quick but I will probably replace it with another 2.8 if 3 gun becomes more prevalent in my area. Brian

Got 50 magnum steel through her today and ran a bunch of other shells through her. I guess the breaking in thing is true. It was even running the light top gun loads much better, not 100% but much better. I now feel better about the m3500 than I did last week. I will just keep it wet and I think it will be good for this Sundays 2 gun match. Thanks again Tom! If you get those springs let me know. Brian

Can the RNT release be mounted to the hand guard permanently?

I will be thereand am already signed up. I have been looking forward to the match since it wasbannounced. Hopefully we can squad together so i can pick up pointers because i have no idea what i am doing but plan to have a lot of fun.

Thanks Tom. I will definitely try and call Stoeger on Monday and ask. It can't hurt to try. Brian

I added a Nordic +1 kit which threaded all the way down no problem. I will try to get some more magnum or waterfowl loads through her this week to try and get her broke in for next Sunday's 2 gun match. I am hoping that all she needs is the full power loads down the pipe to get the standard field grade / skeet loads reliable. It will not be fun to start some runs, hopefully good ones, and then have to rack a round back into the chamber because the bolt didn't come back enough to engage the lifter. Still like the gun so far just hope she gets to be 100% or at least mostly there! Brian

The Federals are still hit and miss. They seem to work most of the time but I was getting 1 fail to feed every other load of the tube. I also had some Super X 7.5s that go 1255 and I was getting some failures to feed with those even though they felt a little stouter than the Federal top gun loads. I will have to get some more turkey loads or just high brass loads and continue to try to break her in so she may be more reliable with the skeet loads. Just how wet should I keep the bolt? When I had a few failures I put 2 drops on the rail and worked the bolt back and forth and she ran 3 tubes without issue. Brian